Veteran Disability benefit is a token of respect and recognition shown towards the veterans for their selfless service. The disability compensation is a monthly benefit, which is tax-free paid to the disabled veterans whose level of disability is at least 10% due to injuries or diseases or medical conditions that were suffered during their active duty, active duty for training or inactive duty training.

The Department of Veteran Affairs offers a variety of benefits to the disabled veterans. For claiming such benefits, basic knowledge about the prevailing types benefit and their eligibility criteria is necessary.

The Eligibility Criteria to Claim VA Benefits:

There is a preset level of eligibility criteria that a disabled veteran should meet in order to be eligible to receive the VA benefits. The basic eligibility criteria are as follows:

The veteran should have been on active service

He should have received discharge under normal conditions without any dishonorable reasons for discharge

What does Active Service Imply?

A person is said to have been on active service if he fulfills either of these conditions:

A veteran has rendered full-time service in the U.S Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air force or Coast Guard.

He has served in the Reserve force or Air force or Army national Guard force, when the service was activated by the federal government

Has served in the range of cadet at the U.S Military, Air Force and Coast Guards academies or as midshipmen in the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Following services are also considered as active military service:

Employment at a preparatory school in the Military, Coast Guard or Air Force academies

Service in specificfederal organizations outside the Armed Forces, and

Participating and engaging in training for any of the Armed Forces.

On successful fulfillment of these basic requirements, he has to fulfill other special eligibility requirements according to the benefit type he claims.

What does Discharge under Dishonorable condition Denote?

For a veteran to be considered for benefits under the VA, he should been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Find more on this link http://www.herskovitslaw.com. In this context it is important to know what comprises a qualifying discharge.

Qualifying discharges include:

Righteous and honorable discharges

Discharges under normal conditions

The VA has discretionary powers to classify if veterans discharged under undesirable conditions shall be considered for a few type of benefits or if they have to be completely excluded out of VA benefits.

Willful Misconduct:

A disabled veteran can usually claim his benefits under the VA benefits scheme. But while at scrutiny many factors are considered to decide whether to approve or disapprove a claim. The reason and the circumstances under which the disability was caused form the major deciding factor while scrutinizing the claim application. If it is found that the disability is caused due to the willful misconduct of the veteran or by any such wrongdoing that is prohibited, the claim will be clearly subject to rejection.

The Types of VA Benefits:

Service – Connected Disability Compensation:

This is a benefit in the form of monthly compensation depending upon the level of disability caused. There are few added eligibility criteria to quality for this type of benefit as well.

VA Pension:

This is a form of monthly cash benefit given to the disabled or retired veterans to assist them. For obtaining benefit under this type a veteran should have been totally or permanently disable or above 65 years of age.

CRDP – Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments:

This is a benefit, which allows the veterans to receive both disability and retirement benefits simultaneously. For availing this benefit the veteran has to have served as a veteran for more than 20 years and incurred a service related disability rating to 50% or more.

CRSP – Combat Related Special Compensation:

This is a special type of benefit given to disabled veterans who has acquired their disability arising out of a combat or battle. For this they have to either have 20 years of experience or should taken a medical retirement and also have a disability rating of more than 10%.

Other VA Benefits:

Other VA Benefits comprises of special educational benefits to self and dependents, guaranteed home loan, VA nursing Home care, VA health care and a lot more.

The only governing rule is that the Veteran has to qualify for the respective benefits under each scheme.